SU 101. Land Use Law
This course analyzes the standards for obtaining variances, special permits, and site plan approval, and provides a comprehensive review of the Noerr-Pennington Doctrine, which guarantees citizens their First Amendment right to petition the government for redress without fear of antitrust liability. Participants also learn methods and best practices for finding and retaining the best legal counsel.

SU 102. Residential and Mixed-Use Developments
Participants study common objections to residential and mixed-use projects, as well as smart growth vs. sprawl arguments. The course also examines the relationship between neighborhood demographics and community support for development.

SU 103. TIFs and Tax Breaks
Introduction to Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and the tax breaks received by real estate development companies when completing particular projects. The primary objective is to understand the basics of TIF calculations, fund flow, the process of acquiring a TIF, and how TIFs and tax breaks impact the permitting process.

SU 104. Unions
Examination of how unions can be involved in creating strategic alliances in support of or opposition to development projects. Foundation topics include knowledge of existing unions, types of support offered by unions, assessing where union support is helpful and where it is potentially harmful, and how to establish a beneficial relationship with union leaders.

SU 105. Offense Tactics
This course examines strategies on how to get a project approved through the creation of local community coalitions and the power of constituent pressure. Topics include project site visits, media research, community benefits packages, leveraging targeted support, mutual gains, negating or minimizing project opposition and creating valuable relationships within the community to overcome local opposition.

SU 106. Defense Tactics
This course analyzes strategies on how to get a development project rejected by attacking it at every possible level, including building or using existing groups, identifying key leaders in the community through the media, neighbors and local resources while maintaining strict client confidentiality. Techniques include political analysis, community outreach, using anti-sprawl organizations, and identifying potential opponents.

SU 107. Traffic
The fundamentals of reading and interpreting traffic impact studies, including information on level of service, pass-by traffic, emergency vehicle access, signaling, parking layout design, area of study and ITE traffic generation standards, Course content also includes recruiting and hiring local traffic experts and using peer review.

SU 108. Wetlands and Environmental Impact
Explores methods for classifying a site as a wetland and managing issues such as river contamination and retention ponds. The myriad of ways that environmental issues can impact project approvals are explored in depth, as well as identifying and recruiting environmental experts and review of key process documents.

SU 109. Basics of Real Estate
Course highlights include common terms, key players, financial fundamentals and the approval process. Also, fundamentals of reading development plans, zoning maps and ordinances, understanding how a project gets approved, and the complexities of variances and special use permits.

SU 111. Scopes
Teaches methods of obtaining key information while maintaining client confidentiality, and how to use it accurately and objectively to assess the local political situation in any given community. Training focuses on developing the ability to quickly determine the probability of a project’s success and the ability to create an effective and efficient strategy.

SU 112. Security and Confidentiality
Examination of how security and client confidentiality affects the overall business success of both parties. Methods for protecting Saint and its clients from lawsuits and the public’s scrutinizing eye. Also includes the fundamentals of corporate security policies.

SU 114. Big Box Moratoria and Legislation
A basic “how to” instruction in drafting and advocating for big box moratoria and legislation, including a description of the process and review of sample legislation, real life examples and smart growth ordinances.

SU 115. SLAPP Suits
Understanding Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (“SLAPP”), including a review of the states that currently have anti-SLAPP legislation. This course describes the process for utilizing anti-SLAPP protections, and provides a step-by-step legal and practical approach to dealing with SLAPP suits in the states where there are no anti-SLAPP laws in place.

SU 116. Advanced GOTV
Advances in technology and methodology are reviewed keeping our staff up to date on state of the art Get Out the Vote techniques and other grassroots organizing practices include petitioning, phone banks, messaging, and campaign collateral. Provides practical application of campaign skills to land use battles.

SU 117. Coalition Building Techniques
Examines the practices of identifying local leaders, assessing the community engagement level, and maintaining relationships with local coalitions. This course also provides hands-on experience applying persuasion methods and identifying the best approaches to engaging the public.

SU 119. Managing Lawyers
This course is designed to help Saint consultants manage lawyers, legal teams, litigation budgets, multiple litigation tracks and how to use Saint’s in-house legal resources to maximize efficiency and reduce client costs.

SU 200. Case Study
Applying skills learned throughout the training program, this course challenges our newly-hired Project Managers with grassroots campaign field activities that put their experience and training to the test. Activities include site assessments, political analysis, developing campaign plans, door-to-door neighborhood canvassing, producing effective phone and mail programs, and techniques for dealing with local government offices and special interest groups.

SU 300. Advanced Scope Training
The course addresses methods of gathering political intelligence, understanding community attitudes, assessing site dynamics, and predicting the probability of a project’s success. Additionally, participants hone writing skills, work with templates and produce sample reports that are critiqued by classmates and experienced staff.

SU 301. Reading Site Plans
An intermediate course reviewing site plan documents, defining typical components of land development plans, and how to assess the weaknesses of a site plan.

SU 302. Industry Briefings
Briefings by industry leaders and experts covering key trends and developments in the industries in which we work.

SU 303. Rock Quarries 101
This session provides an introduction to the rock quarry industry, focusing on the greatest hurdles quarry companies face when permitting a new quarry. Strategies for overcoming the most frequent community objections are reviewed.

SU 304. Mineral Mining

SU 305. Hospitals

SU 306. Wind Farms

SU 307. Power Plants

SU 308. Landfills

SU 305. Zoning Laws and Regulations
An in-depth study of state laws regulating development. Class participants will be able to understand and utilize state zoning laws and regulations that govern many different aspects of development permitting.

SU 306. State Development Appeals
A legal presentation on the requirements necessary to establish standing and the right to appeal development approvals in various state jurisdictions.

SU 307. Stormwater Management, Wetlands and the Rivers Act
A comparative analysis of state and federal versions of the Stormwater Management Policy Act, the Wetlands Protection Act, and the Rivers Act. This course examines the legal and practical issues regarding storm water runoff, best practices management, detention basins and septic systems. It also identifies the most common approaches to the protection of surface and ground water.

SU 308. Canada Land Use and Planning
An overview of the federal, provincial, and local structures to planning, a review of various governmental bodies overseeing planning, and a review of pending provincial legislation that will impact planning in Ontario. The course includes an analysis of the differences between the US and Canadian laws for adapting Saint Consulting practices in Canada.

SU 309. United Kingdom Land Use and Planning
An overview of the UK planning system, governmental structure and regulatory environment, including a review of pending legislation and how it may impact the permissions process.

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